Full EU membership must remain the main goal for countries wanting to join the bloc, Prime Minister Rob Jetten said before a summit with Western Balkan nations in Montenegro. This stands in contrast to France and Germany, who want new countries to join the EU in stages. Under the Franco-German plan, candidate countries would get partial access to the European single market as a reward for making early reforms.
Jetten agreed that candidate countries should see the benefits of their hard work much sooner. However, he insisted that the final goal must be full membership in a strong, modern EU. He warned against creating a two-tier system with first- and second-class members.
The Prime Minister explained that he is working closely with Belgium and Luxembourg on this approach. He added that the Benelux nations will discuss the French and German plans calmly before releasing their own proposals to improve the joining process very soon.
Germany and France want to make sure neighbouring countries stay focused on joining the EU rather than looking elsewhere. Jetten said the Benelux proposals will also help candidate states show their citizens the real benefits of choosing Europe over countries like Russia, while still making sure they strictly follow the rule of law.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
